Plants medium-sized, yellow-green, green, or orange-green. Stems with apices not distinctly hooked, branches many. Leaves not incurved, appressed to somewhat falcate, weakly to moderately concave, 2-plicate, 1.2-1.7 mm; apex short- to usually long-acuminate; medial laminal cells opaque.

Capsules mature Jul-Aug. Shaded rock, outcrops, tree bases, humic soil in forests, subalpine to alpine; moderate to high elevations (600-3500 m); Greenland; Alta., B.C., Nfld. and Labr., Que., Yukon; Alaska, Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mich., Mont., Nev., N.H., N.Mex., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.; Eurasia; Atlantic Islands (Iceland).